68 THE FUR COUNTRY. night, when the sun, describing an almost horizontal circle, scarcely- disappeared at all. The true night only lasted two hours, and the dawn succeeded the twilight almost immediately. The weather was fine ; the sky clear, although somewhat misty on the horizon ; and everything combined to favour the travellers. For two days they kept along the river-banks without meeting with any difficulties. They saw but few fur-bearing animals ; but there were plenty of birds, which might have been counted by thou- sands. The absence of otters, sables, beavers, ermines, foxes, &c., did not trouble the Lieutenant much, for he supposed that they had been driven further north by over-zealous tracking ; and indeed the marks of encampments, extinguished fires, &c,, told of the more or less recent passage of native hunters. Hobson knew that he would have to penetrate a good deal further north, and that part only of his journey would be accomplished when he got to the mouth of the Coppermine river. He was therefore most eager to reach the limit of Hearne's exploration, and pressed on as rapidly as possible. Every one shared the Lieutenant's impatience, and resolutely resisted fatigue in order to reach the Arctic Ocean with the least
- ossible delay. ' They were drawn onwards by an indefinable attrac-
tion ; the glory of the unknown dazzled their sight. Probably real hardships would commence when they did arrive at the much-desired coast. But no matter, they longed to battle with difficulties, and to press straight onwards to their aim. The district they were now traversing could have no direct interest for them ; the reul explora- tion would only commence on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. Each (. ne, then, would gladly hail the arrival in the elevated western dis- tricts for which they were bound, cut across though they were by the seventieth parallel of north latitude. On the 5th June, four days after leaving Fort Confidence, the river widened considerably. The western banks, curving slightly, ran almost due north; whilst the eastern rounded off into the coast- line, stretching away as far as the eye could reach. Lieutenant Hobson paused, and waving his hand to his com- panions, pointed to the boundless ocean.
